Pupils’ Comments:- “I loved everything, especially when I did my very first solo & really impressed my dad!” (Luke Yr 5, St Gregory’s Primary School, Chorley) “The thing I liked most was dancing in the town hall and actually wearing clogs”. (Zack, Yr5, Coppull Primary School) “I especially liked the Train Step – I can’t stop doing it!” (Holly, Yr Coppull Primary) Teachers’ Comments:- “Year 5 thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this project. The children were given ownership by creating their own dance steps of which I know they felt very proud. Every week the children were excited and eager to get to the hall to learn more.” (St Gregory’s Primary School, Chorley) |
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CLOGMANIA! (2006) Eight schools in South Ribble (one high school and seven primaries), had clog dance workshops with Alex and performed at Worden Arts Centre, Leyland and Walton-le-Dale High School, Bamber Bridge, Preston. Each group also worked with Carolyn Francis, who provided musical accompaniment on fiddle and drums. Schools’ comments:- “It was an excellent experience for the class (Yr 5) as most had never danced in a performance before. Some pupils, with very special needs, appear to have grown tremendously in confidence since the show.” (Broad Oak Primary School, Penwortham, Preston. |
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Pupils rehearsing for CLOGMANIA (1) performance at Worden Arts Centre, Leyland. |
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“I enjoyed the whole thing from training to the performance.” (Becky, Yr 6 St Oswald’s Primary School, Longton, Preston) “I enjoyed the duet with Connor the most because I never thought that I would have had the confidence to do it, but I did and I’m very proud of myself.” (George, Yr 6, St Oswald’s Primary school, Longton, Preston) |
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INSET PROJECTS Alex has worked with Folk Arts Agencies and LEA Advisory Centres to devise and deliver INSET programmes in Clog Dance and other traditional dance forms. Projects include:- FULLHOUSE (1996-2000) A major folk arts INSET project organized by FOLKWORKS (now The Sage Gateshead) and involving primary and secondary schools in the North East and Cumbria. Teachers were given the skills to run clubs and curriculum modules in clog and rapper dance, social dance, folk song and ceilidh band. “A supremely effective practitioner….Alex places importance on accessibility, challenge and encouragement”. (David Oliver, Director of Folkworks Education programme 1993-2007) COMMUNITY PROJECTS Lancashire Society HLF project The Noise We Mek – performance at launch events – Sept/Oct 2010. Lancashire Museum Service – community workshops & performances at Helmshore Textile Museum (Sept. 2009) Lancashire Libraries tour – lecture demonstrations in Preston, Longton and Ormskirk (Oct. 2008) Leyland St Mary’s Venture Scouts, Duke of Edinburgh Award project - 2006 |
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Chris Pollington, musician, had this to say...... ''I have worked with Alex as her ‘live’ musician on a number of projects from work in schools to the Harris museum. She has a particular talent for motivating groups of learners in the art of clogging which always feel satisfaction as her goals are planned to be achievable. It is amazing how in a few sessions she can turn raw recruits into a spectacular team of performance artists turning in a complex routine lasting many minutes, which is a real spectacle for the audience. All in all Alex elevates the clogging art to a new level of performance and her students always appreciate the enjoyment of acquiring a new skill.'' |
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